Dorna has released the final calendar for next season, the American event is set to be round nine of a scheduled thirteen

We had all but given up hope, the various parties more divided than ever. And yet, just prior to the Christmas holidays, we receive a gift that we were not expecting. Yes, Laguna Seca is back on the 2019 World Superbike calendar.

The provisional calendar released by Dorna around one month ago listed thirteen rounds in all, but the ninth was to be confirmed. There were rumours of a possible return to the Lausitzring or to the South African track of Kyalami. And now we have our answer.

Laguna Seca will in fact host round nine of the production-derived series, set to take place on 12-14 July, just one week after the Donington event. Then comes the two-month summer break, before action resumes at Portimao over the weekend of 6-8 September.

The fans couldn't have wished for a better Christmas present, also because it looked as if Dorna was unwilling to continue its collaboration with the track that has hosted 16 Superbike. This year's American round took place in June, in front of more than 30,000 spectators. The hope is that a July race will shake things up, but will this be the case?